


Burning for Relief

by MasterXploder



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Female Friendship, Gen, Illustrations, Omorashi, Possible canon-conflicting dialogue, The longest one-part story I've ever written, Urination, what am I doing with my free time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 05:23:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20353081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasterXploder/pseuds/MasterXploder
Summary: (This is an omorashi/wetting desperation story. Reader discretion advised)Bernadetta doesn't have it easy, between her crippling social anxiety and having to go to class with a brand new professor to get used to. As she'll discover, there are far worse things than a new teacher. For example, trying to sit through class when you really need to use the privies. Can the poor girl endure through it all? Can she even make it to the bathrooms after class, and will anyone come to her rescue if she can't?Contains illustrations commissioned just for this story.





	Burning for Relief

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains artwork by the artist Biku. You can find him in the link below:
> 
> https://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=14653801

A shining morning sun graced the hallowed walls of the Garreg Mach Monastery. The month of the Great Tree Moon was in full swing now, with animals returning to their nests and freely roaming about in the warmth of the spring weather. Idle chatter among students, teachers, knights, monks, and all other walks of life could be heard no matter where you went. It was the perfect day for everyone to venture outside, explore the grounds, run their training, or attend a lecture to expand their minds and souls.

Everyone except for one Bernadetta von Varley, a student in the Black Eagles house. Still sitting on her bed in her quarters, she pulled her stuffed bear close to her chest to quell her nervous heart. How could anyone have the courage to leave the comfort of solitude and face other people when danger, doom, and overbearing parents were around every corner? It was a mystery that had eluded her for her entire life, and she was definitely not about to find the answer today.

The timid girl had more reason than usual to hide away on this day, too. Just a few days ago, her house had been assigned a new professor, a mercenary by the name of Byleth. Just when she was finally getting used to the last teacher, in comes this man she knew nothing about and who would lead her into actual battles against actual opponents with an actual chance of death. It was way too much for her to deal with. Who could place their complete trust in someone like that?

Nope, she was not leaving her dorm for anything today. Well, maybe not totally anything. There were still some calls too strong even for her to resist forever. Food was one of them, but she had emergency sweets stashed in her drawers for that. That just left one other issue that she couldn’t solve in her quarters.

The monastery wasn’t just a leading academy and home to the archbishop of the Church of Seiros, but also boasted a groundbreaking new invention. What was it called again, she wondered? Right, a “toilet”, a thing that one could relieve themselves into and then send the contents straight into the sewer drains. No more need for a smelly chamber pot that stunk up the rooms; in fact, not a single one could be found on the monastery grounds anymore.

It was a nice idea, except for the fact that there wasn’t one of those things in her room. She would have to venture outside to the quarters’ sole “water closet”, as it was called, with the hope that no one would see her, and especially that there was no line. Being seen outside was bad enough, but having others know that she needed the bathroom would probably make her faint on the spot.

As mortifying as that sounded, she knew she had to make that trip at least once before she could truly lock herself away for the day. Giving her bear one last hug, she stood up and walked to her door. She paused to take a calming breath before reaching her hand towards the knob.

A sudden knock at the door made her yelp and jerk her entire body back, the little resolve she had to go out vanishing in an instant.

“Bernadetta? Are you still in here?” She recognized the voice quickly enough: it belonged to Edelgard von Hresvelg, heir to the Adrestian Empire as well as leader of the Black Eagles. Not just that, but also one of the scariest students in the academy, at least to Bernie.

“Ah! E-Edelgard!?” she babbled, her hands clasped in front of her bowed head. “Oh dear, w-whatever I did, I’m sorry! Please don’t sentence me to death!”

“What are you talking about? I’m not here for anything like that.” These words helped calm her, if only a little. “I’m just making sure you come to today’s lecture. It would look badly on us if we weren’t all in attendance for a new professor.”

“L-lecture?” Bernadetta turned her back to the door. “Nope, sorry! Can’t do it! I… I’m not feeling well. I’ll just stay right here today and m-make up for it later, promise!”

“Hmm, that’s a shame,” replied Edelgard. For a moment, Bernie felt the slight hope that this would be the end of the conversation. “I was hoping to speak with you on the walk to class. Perhaps we would even share my cake along the way.”

“Cake!?” Bernadetta perked right up. Of course Edelgard would never just leave her be. It was a low blow, targeting her weakness of all things sweet and delicious.

“Indeed, freshly-baked from the dining hall. I’ve heard they were able to procure some high-end ingredients for this batch. But, I’m afraid I can’t share it with someone if they’re not well enough to leave their room.”

_ Oh, why does she have to be this way? _Try as she might, the allure of cake proved strong enough to overcome her desire for safety and solitude. Bernadetta turned around and very slowly turned the knob, pulling her door back a couple inches.

The piercing gaze of Edelgard’s white eyes met hers, and she would have shut the door right then if not for the house leader already bracing it with a hand. “I assume you’ll be joining us after all?” asked Edelgard.

“Um… well…” Her eyes drifted downwards. Sure enough, in Edelgard’s other hand was a plate with two slices of the most heavenly cake she had ever seen. The cooks at the monastery were leagues above the ones back home, that was for certain.

Accepting her fate, Bernadetta opened the door all the way. “Um, w-would both of those slices be for me, maybe?”

“I lack the stomach for sweets this early in the morning, so they’re as good as yours.” Edelgard raised a finger. “On these terms: You may have the first upon reaching the classroom, and the second if you attend the entire lecture. Is that fair?”

Bernie kept her eyes glued to the cake and away from her leader’s intimidating eyes. “O-okay! I’ll try my absolute hardest, I promise!” She put her hands up with all the determination she could muster.

To this, Edelgard sighed and nodded. “Very well. Let’s be on our way now. We had best be punctual for our new professor.” She turned and marched off, with Bernie’s gaze following the delicacy now in motion.

On heavy legs, Bernadetta soon found herself following along, a hand grasping at her collar and her eyes darting about, looking for potential threats as always. Like it or not, she was outside and heading out into the world again. Her heart fluttered in anticipation of the day’s events, and not in a good way. Edelgard may have gotten her out of the dorm, but she still couldn’t see any possible way this lecture could end well. However, no matter how badly today could turn out, at least she was getting some good cake out of it all. That would make for a decent last meal any day.

* * *

The hourly chimes rang throughout the monastery, a strangely-nostalgic tune for both new students and graduates alike. It was the official notice that class had started, a last warning for any lethargic students still dragging their feet to their homerooms.

Bernadetta was already seated at her table by the time they rang, Edelgard having made sure they went straight there. Her books, quills, and paper were all laid out in front of her, ready to take notes even if she didn’t think she’d be able to learn a thing. Right now, one of those books was pressed up to her face in a feeble attempt to hide herself from the world.

She tried her hardest to focus on the words mere inches in front of her in order to perhaps distract from the anxious thoughts racing through her mind, one of which she was unfortunately paying more attention to. In the face of Edelgard, Bernadetta had completely forgotten about the trip she was planning on taking to the lavatory. Her bladder was quick to remind her once she had gotten seated, especially with her body quivering all over.

It was not like she had been cursed with a small bladder. Quite the opposite, in fact; she was perfectly capable of holding it to where she only needed to relieve herself a couple times in the day. It was not something she had been gifted, however, but something acquired through an upbringing no girl should ever have to suffer through. Of course, in the face of crippling anxiety, one tends to forget such strengths. Already, her brain was telling her to get up and go to the toilet right now before it could lead to disaster. Before she knew it, her legs were shuffling to stand up and do just that.

“Alright, settle down everyone!”

But that quickly came to a stop as a female voice with authority cut through the buzz of the class. Heels clacked along the stone floor as everyone turned to the person entering the room. To everyone’s surprise, it was not their new professor but rather…

“Professor Manuela?” Edelgard was the first to speak.

“Well, don’t everyone be surprised,” the middle-aged professor spoke as she walked to the front of the class. “You all act like you’ve never heard of the concept of a substitute teacher.”

“A substitute?” asked Ferdinand von Aegir, “You mean our new professor isn’t even going to be lecturing us today?”

“Oh, you needn’t worry. Professor Byleth will be here before long. He is currently in some private discussions with the Archbishop and that specimen of a man that is his father.” She paused to chuckle. “No doubt giving him some final pointers before they turn him loose on you all.”

Unpleasant visions of a cruel, demanding professor cracking a whip invaded Bernadetta’s mind, and she couldn’t shake them out quickly enough.

“Wait, I do not have the understanding,” said Petra Macneary, shaking her head. “If you are giving us the teaching today, then does your other class not have, er, class?”

Manuela smiled. “Well, thank you for being concerned for my own students. They’ll be working on a group study in my absence. Not to gloat, but I daresay they’ll be able to learn as much from each other as they can from me. Now then, why don’t we pick our books up and get started? You’d be surprised how a new perspective can make a world of difference.”

From there, the lecture began just like any other. Manuela stood at the front of class, reciting essential lessons for any aspiring soldier. She had quite the varied lesson plan, jumping from subject to subject like famous wartime tactics and cautionary tales from battle blunders of the distant past. The variety was necessary, given that nearly every student in the Black Eagles house was specializing in a different class of weaponry, so there was still a little something for everyone in her words, a testament to her many years as a professor.

For the most part, Bernadetta kept her head down and quill writing as quickly and legibly as she could manage. She felt that as long as she kept listening to and writing the professor’s words, she wouldn’t be overcome by the fear gnawing away at the back of her head. Granted, she didn’t know what she would do if Manuela ever called upon her to answer a question. Being put on the spot like that was a scary thought in itself, but… writing. Just keep writing. Don’t even think about it.

To her surprise, it was working better than expected. Despite the urge to stand up and run back to her room still persisting, she was able to keep herself glued to her seat. Even when Manuela decided to walk around the class as she professed, passing by Bernie multiple times with a correlating increase in heart rate, she stood her ground. What would’ve been another day in class for anyone else was nothing short of an achievement for her. She had to wonder if the cake resting comfortably in her belly played a part in this unprecedented level of confidence.

At least, that’s how it went for the first hour or so. Unfortunately, as the minutes ticked by, Bernadetta became more and more aware of the other cause for anxiety growing within her bladder. It had been mere background noise at first, easy enough to ignore in the face of all her other concerns. However, this pesky pressure only turned more bothersome over time, and much quicker than she anticipated.

Bernadetta quietly whimpered as a light pang resonated from her groin. As much as she really didn’t want to, her legs lightly squeezed together, the first sign of the desperation brewing just beneath her desk. Nobody would notice such a thing unless they took a close look, but having to do that in the first place was not doing her delicate nerves any favors.

She tried to forget it and go back to her studies, the quill scribbling across her papers. It was not easy, however, with her fears and the growing pressure in her groin. She couldn’t give up now, though, not when simply asking to be excused for a minute was absolutely out of the question. All those eyes and ears on her as she revealed something as embarrassing as needing the toilet… it was unthinkable. And even if she did, would Edelgard think she was trying to run back to her room, and try to stop her? Not that running and hiding was not out of the question for her in the first place, but still.

Thwack!

“Eep!” Bernadetta all but jumped out of her seat at the sudden noise of a book being loudly dropped on a table in front of her. Her head snapped forward to find Professor Manuela standing very close and looking very unamused. For an instant, she felt the panic welling inside at what she might have done wrong, until she realized Manuela wasn’t looking at her.

Instead, the professor cast her disapproving gaze at Linhardt von Hevring, the young man at the desk next to her. He looked back with drooping eyes and an open mouth of both shock and guilt.

“Gah, p-professor!” he babbled in a drowsy voice.

“I thought I heard someone in the library late last night,” said Manuela. “Am I correct to assume that was you?”

Linhardt rubbed his head. “Er, y-yes, that was me. I’m terribly sorry, I just couldn’t keep my eyes from falling shut.”

Manuela sighed. “While I appreciate your studious nature, I only wish you kept that same zeal in class. Goodness knows what your new professor would think of a student dozing off during a lecture.”

_ Or wetting themselves _. Bernadetta couldn’t stop that thought from forming. How could she? The shock of the loud noise sent a jolt through her whole body, especially hitting her poor bladder. In an instant, her defenses were weakened, and she feared for a moment that something, no matter how little, was about to come out.

Meanwhile, Manuela’s eyes drifted to the side. “Well, speak of the devil.”

All as one, the class turned to the sound of approaching footsteps. Indeed, Professor Byleth had just stepped into the classroom, his blank expression commanding everyone’s attention. Bernadetta herself wasn’t sure which professor was more imposing in that moment.

“You have good timing, professor,” said Manuela as she approached him. “I was just about at the end of my impromptu lecture. Your students almost got away with a half-day, hmm-hmm!”

_ I would have liked that very much, _ Bernie thought, adding a little squirm in her seat.

“Er, yes.” Byleth stepped forward and nodded. “Thank you for the help, Manuela. I’ll take over from here.”

“If you insist.” Manuela picked her book up and made for the door. “I had better go see if my class is still getting along just fine. Good luck on your lecture, professor. Here’s to hoping your students aren’t as eccentric as mine, the loveable scamps. Ta-ta!”

The class watched as Manuela stepped outside and rounded the corner, then returned their gazes to Byleth. “At long last, our true professor arrives!” declared Ferdinand.

“Great to see you, teach!” said a grinning Caspar von Bergliez, “For a minute there, I was starting to wonder if the nerves got to you.”

Byleth shook his head. “Nothing of the sort, just some private talks with Rhea and fa… Knight Jeralt.” He walked to the podium at the front of the class, pausing to look at the rather cluttered set of books Manuela had left there with a confused look.

“Er, will you need a moment to prepare everything?” asked Edelgard.

He put a hand to his chin. “Not a bad idea. How about we all take a quick break to collect ourselves? Let’s say about fifteen minutes.”

_ Break? _ A spark of hope went off inside Bernadetta’s chest, her whole body perking up at the mention. The Goddess was smiling on her today; now was the perfect chance for her to retreat and solve at least one of her problems. 

She only waited for the classroom buzz to start up, everyone chatting and snacking at their leisure. Once she was confident the break had started, she stood from her desk, hands placed just above her bladder to make her look her usual amount of nervous. Her eyes darted everywhere as she walked to the big doors of the classroom. The outside world, normally a nerve-wracking sight, looked more and more enticing the closer she got.

“Bernadetta?”

"Ah!" She froze immediately, all sense of hope vanishing in an instant. She turned around to face Edelgard, feeling very much like a rabbit in the shadow of a large eagle. "I… I've been working like we agreed! Y-you can check my notes, see for yourself!" she babbled, a drop of nervous sweat running down her brow.

"Yes, I saw you writing during the lecture." To Bernie's surprise, Edelgard's stern expression lightened up. "Honestly, you're doing much better than I expected. I have to commend you for that."

"I… I am?"

Edelgard nodded. "I understand that this is more difficult for you than it is for most, and I can’t force you to stay here if you wish to return to your quarters. Still, I’m hoping you will at least give our new professor a chance.”

Bernadetta glanced towards Professor Byleth, who spoke with the other students as he arranged his desk. “I really don’t know if I can do that. It’s just asking a lot to trust someone that much when I don’t know a thing about them, you know?”

“I know it is, but he saved my life back in Remire Village. I would trust him with anything, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same way if you give it enough time. Now what do you say, Bernadetta?”

“Um, well…” In truth, the thought to escape back to her room and be done with today was very enticing right now, almost as much as getting her rump to the toilet. However, looking back into Edelgard's piercing eyes, Bernadetta quickly realized she didn't have the nerve to say no. Maybe it was embarrassment, the fear of disappointing others, or perhaps part of a desire deep down to overcome her fears, but there was a renewed sense of determination inside her that she couldn’t resist.

“Um… o-okay!” Bernie bowed her head. “I’ll do my best! N-not just for the cake, either, I promise!”

To this, Edelgard sighed. “Thank you, Bernadetta. Now if you’ll excuse me, I, er, have a matter to attend to before I return to class. I’ll be back shortly.” She took a step away before turning back. “Oh, and our little deal? The other slice is still on my desk. If you feel you need it now, you can go ahead and eat it. It would probably grow stale by the end of today, anyway.”

Edelgard turned and departed after that, having a subtle tension to her walk. Wherever she was headed, Bernadetta paid no heed, for there were more important things to do, or rather eat. She was gonna need something to quell the anxiety inside, and another slice of cake would do just that.

* * *

_ Ooooohhh, what did I do to deserve this!? _

Break had come and gone, and Byleth had begun his lesson plan for today. It was an abridged lecture, with little time for one-on-one instructions given how late he had arrived, so he had to cover broader topics. General history, common-sense rules of the battle, and other things anyone could pick up on regardless of their role in the fight. Bernadetta had to admit, despite the professor’s lack of teaching experience, there was a certain way he carried himself as he taught that she found engaging. His voice wasn’t nearly as scary or stern as she had feared, but rather strangely comforting in a way.

It made her feel especially guilty that she was having such a hard time staying focused. Her anxiety for Byleth made have been alleviated, but now she had something far scarier to worry about:

She really, really needed to pee.

Somehow, she had forgotten all about it while enjoying her second slice of cake, but then, who wouldn’t forget all their cares in the world while eating cake? However, now that it was resting comfortably in her stomach, there was no longer anything to distract her from the massive pressure in her groin, which if anything, felt like she was filling up a good deal quicker than before, going from a suggestion to a powerful, undeniable urge in what seemed like very little time.

Try as she might, Bernadetta couldn’t help but squirm in her seat to fend off the rising tides in her bladder. Her legs squeezed together from the knees up, while her free hand would occasionally press between them when she was absolutely certain nobody was focused on her. A dangerous game, given how all someone had to do was look underneath her desk for her plight to be made obvious.

But even with the possibility of wetting herself in class being very real, Bernie still wouldn’t dare ask to be excused. What sort of message would it send to her classmates and teacher, she wondered. Would they believe her incapable of keeping up? Would Byleth look down on her, too? Would they suggest to the Archbishop to send her back home to her father? No, she had to hold this. What little pride she had was at stake, almost as much as her clean smallclothes.

Still, it would be an excruciating endeavor even if she succeeded. Even now, the agonizing pressure crippled her ability to focus on the class. No matter how hard she tried, her thoughts remained on the same loop: _ You need to pee. You should’ve used the bathroom when you had the chance. If you hadn’t left your room for the most delicious cake in all of Fódlan, you wouldn’t be in this position right now. _

_ The cake… _She looked at the empty plate on her desk. It was a sweet cake, but also very moist. Could it be responsible for her accelerated need? Maybe the ingredients in the cake had some kind of diuretic properties too. Did Edelgard know about this? No, it wouldn’t make any sense. She was just being paranoid, and it wasn't like she could be blamed for it. Faced with her anxiety and bursting bladder, she wasn't exactly in control of her thoughts.

Bernadetta found herself glancing towards Edelgard, who sat at the front of the class. A model student, she kept her attention solely on the teacher. More importantly, the tension Bernie saw earlier was absent, and Edelgard looked quite relaxed in comparison.

_ Wait… _ Another thought she couldn't control entered her mind. Did Edelgard leave the classroom to use the water closet? It would explain a lot. Now Bernie had yet another reason to envy her house leader on top of her leadership and apparent lack of fear.

Immediately, another mental image she didn't want to imagine formed: Edelgard sitting on the toilet, her leggings and smallclothes pulled down to her knees as she made the porcelain sing. She was letting out a sigh strong enough to let her relief be known, but still light enough to retain some dignity for such an unsavory function. A gross image, but how she wanted to be feeling that same relief...

"Mm!?" It was the worst thing for her to be focusing on right now. The temptation of relief relaxed Bernadetta just enough for her bladder to slip a little past her defenses. A moment later, and she felt a very slight dampness on her undergarments, as well as the "treasure" they protected. It was nowhere near enough to be smelled or seep through onto her dark shorts, but even this little amount was far too much.

Bernie lowered her head and shut her eyes, her lower half clamping down harder than ever to make sure that little bit was all she would leak. Doubts continued to plague her, unfortunately, and now her mind conjured its scariest image yet: 

She saw herself in the midst of the inevitable, with a pool of golden water forming in her seat, only to fall and make a noisy splatter onto the stone floor. At the same time, tears ran down her reddened face while the entire class looked upon her in shock, disgust, pity, and all other emotions she never wanted to be looked at with. Her professor would approach her, a sternness in his eyes harsher than even her father’s, his mouth opening to condemn her as a failure.

“Bernadetta?”

Her eyes immediately snapped open again. That call was not part of her imagination, which made it all the more frightening.

“H-huh!?” She looked right up to see Byleth standing over her with his usual blank expression, not at all like the contemptuous one she just imagined. Not that it made her panic any less, anyway.

"I was wondering if you knew why keeping a knight in front of an archer is a good idea, even when fighting against a flying unit?"

"Um… uh…." Her eyes darted about. It wasn't a hard question, but even in the best of times, she didn't do good with being put on the spot. Add in a full bladder occupying her mind, and she had no hope of forming an answer coherent enough to satisfy anyone.

Bernadetta didn’t dare look, but she knew the whole class was looking in her direction now. All those eyes on her at such a dire moment made her heart feel like it was about to burst right with her bladder.

No escape, no one to help her out of an impossible situation… She was trapped, just like how things were back home. All she could do was wait for the last bit of her strength to fail and the ensuing accident to confirm to everyone what a failure she truly was.

"Professor! If I may?"

But a miracle happened instead. Suddenly, all that outside pressure was off her and onto the student who had come to her rescue. Like the rest of the class, Bernadetta turned to the voice that proved her savior.

It was none other than Dorothea Arnault, the Black Eagles’ sole commoner student and former opera singer, sitting across the divide in the desks. “Archers are lightly-armored, so a wyvern or pegasus rider can still fly in and take them out if they’re strong and fast enough,” she said with a smile. “The knight can safely absorb most damage while the archer can focus their aim. Is that what you were looking for?”

“Er, yes, it is,” Byleth replied. Bernadetta could see his eyes drifting back towards her, the brief respite she was blessed with surely coming to an end.

“Oh, but I had another question about that!” continued Dorothea. “What if a knight was unavailable to protect the archer? Could they maybe pull out a lance to defend themselves from attack, then switch back to a bow to take out the flier?”

Byleth put a hand to his chin. “It is a valid tactic. However, you would need to take several factors into account first. How strong the enemy flier is, and whether the archer could withstand the first attack, either from absorbing the damage or avoiding the attacks outright.” He stepped away from Bernie’s desk, much to her relief, and stood at the center of the class. “But in a situation like this, the best tactic is to not put your archers in a risky position to begin with. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my mercenary days is that battles are not solely about defeating your foes, but also living to fight another day. A victory made with great losses is hardly a victory at all.”

Even on the verge of an accident, Bernadetta still took note. His commitment was reassuring at least, even if she had still yet to see how he commanded on the battlefield. That would only happen during the mock battle at the end of this month.

But she couldn’t even begin to focus on that when she was fighting a losing battle right now. With no more eyes on her, Bernie went right back to squeezing her legs tight and shoving her hand between them, anything to stave off the flood. Unfortunately, she knew her fate was sealed by now. After all the stress, there was no possible way she could hold it for the rest of class, not when lunch break still had to be so far away.

Or was it?

Chimes. Wonderful, heavenly chimes suddenly rang from the chapels, signaling the end of classes. In an instant, the formal atmosphere of the classroom vanished. Everyone looked about with smiles, already gathering their things and getting ready to leave.

“Well, that’s as good of a thought to end on as any,” said Byleth over the hustle. “Enjoy your lunch, and I'll see you all for drills afterwards!"

Bernadetta didn't spare any thought to food or training as she stood up, forcing herself through the pain of a shifting bladder, and departed the classroom. She prayed no one noticed her stiff walking or the hand placed just above her groin. Not that she had the time to dwell on these things, anyway; she could feel her hold slipping with each passing second. Every step mattered, for wasting even a single moment could end in her humiliating demise.

But once she stepped out into the light of the afternoon sun and saw all the students leaving the academy, she found a new reason to panic. Even being around one person was bad enough, but a whole crowd while on the verge of peeing herself?

Instinct overtook her common sense, and Bernadetta found herself running somewhere, anywhere to get away from the crowds. She panted and frantically looked about, keeping an eye out for a possible water closet without any students nearby. Needing to pee so desperately was bad enough, but doing so around others would be mortifying beyond belief.

"Ah!" Another painful wave brought her to a stop, making her legs lock together and almost double over. Another one of those and she'd be soaking her shorts, she knew it. She couldn't afford to be modest anymore; she'd use any toilet, even if a thousand people stood outside intent on listening to her making some very embarrassing noises.

But where? It only hit her just now that she had gone in the opposite direction of the bathrooms, at least the ones she knew of. She whimpered to herself as her situation just kept going from bad to worse.

"Bernie?"

And it only got worse.

"Eep!" She stood right up proper, no matter how much it pained to not try and hold it, and turned around. Dorothea was walking right up to her with a concerned frown. Oh, why does everyone want to talk to me today!?

"Are you alright?" asked Dorothea in a soft voice, "I tried to pull the Professor away from you in class. You seemed really stressed."

_ Thank you but I'm fine, please leave me alone! _ This is what Bernadetta wanted to say as she opened her mouth. However, she could only gasp as something else decided to open up at the exact same time. Immediately, a wet warmth filled her undergarments, just enough that she could feel it seep through the fabric and into the crotch of her shorts.

"Aah! No, please!" Abandoning all sense of modesty, Bernadetta doubled over, shoving both hands as hard as she could into her groin, pressing her newly-damp panties even harder against that part of her. It took everything she had, but no more leaked out. This victory was little comfort, however, a temporary lull in an unrelenting assault. She knew deep down that if she were to leak again, there would be no stopping it.

“B-Bernie!” Dorothea gasped, reaching her arms out. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well? Was that a bad slice of cake earlier?"

"I… I…." Even now, she couldn't bring herself to say it, the words stuck in her throat. Instead, her eyes connected with Dorothea's for a moment, where there was no hiding her desperate plight.

"...Oh!" Dorothea's own eyes lit up, a faint redness appearing on her cheeks.

"Ah… p-please help me!" Whether she was beyond help or not, Bernadetta begged as though her very life was in danger.

Suddenly, Dorothea nodded and placed her hands on Bernie's shoulders. "Here, come with me! You can still walk, right?"

Still whimpering, Bernie shakily nodded in response. Even as a recluse with trust issues, all she could do now was place her faith in a fellow student.

"Alright, then let’s hurry!” Dorothea moved to Bernie’s side, wrapping her arms around her body. One step at a time, now. Close your eyes if you have to."

Bernadetta wasn’t quite ready to move, nor could she ever be, but soon found herself being moved along regardless. Every step was sheer agony, sending throb after throb of pain from her bladder through her entire body. 

She wasn’t going to make it. That was the thought pervading her mind for the entire walk. There was simply no way she had it in her to endure the last few steps to the toilets. With her eyes shut, she could see herself losing control, a golden waterfall dribbling from between her legs and onto the stone walkway. Dorothea and any other passers-by would look upon her in shock and disappointment, and she would likely run away to her room, never to enter the outside world again. It was the only way she could see this playing out, with every step bringing her closer and closer to that inescapable outcome...

"Okay, we're here!"

"H-Huh?" She opened her eyes, seeing that they had come to a stop. Her first emotion was joy: she had persevered against all odds, and now she would get her reward of a long, accident-free relief into a toilet.

Until she actually saw where she was. Looking around, Bernadetta saw only buildings, walkways, and halls, nothing resembling a bathroom. In fact, all that was right in front was…

_ Wait, what!? _She nearly fainted from the shock right there. A waist-high bush greeted her, growing with about a meter or so of clearance from the wall of a building. In other words, it was the ideal location for a very desperate lady to...

"W-wait, Dorothea!" She looked back at the lady who betrayed her trust to bring her here. Surely, this had to be a joke; she just knew that walk was too short for her to be at the bathrooms. There was no way she meant for her to actually do this, right?

But it only took one glance at the sadness in Dorothea’s eyes to understand. “I’m sorry, Bernie,” she said, “You were far from the privies, and they almost always have long lines after class.” She then offered Bernie a determined smile. “But I’ll stand guard for you and make sure no one comes this way. That’s a promise!”

“But… but…!” She wanted to protest with all of her heart. Peeing behind a bush in public? How could she ever do something like that!? It was a moot point though, for her bladder shut out any excuse she could think of. No matter how much she didn’t want to do it, she had no choice. That seemed to be a recurring theme in her life at the monastery.

“Ohhh…” Bernadetta looked back to the bushes. “Please don’t look, and no listening, either!” was all she said before waddling behind it.

Here she was, at the spot that would be her bathroom whether she liked it or not. With trembling hands, she reached underneath her skirt, pausing for just a moment to contemplate if she was truly about to do this.

Her bladder quickly answered that for her with another light spurt into her underwear. With one last gasp, Bernadetta yanked her shorts and undergarments - a set of basic panties the same shade of purple as her hair - down past her knees while lowering herself to the ground, feeling a chill down her body from her newly-exposed areas moving through the air.

When answering nature's call normally, Bernadetta often had to wait a while for the flow to get started, as she had to coax herself into doing something so embarrassing, but these conditions were far from normal. The moment her smallclothes parted from her groin, her muscles could no longer hold back the coming rain. It started lightly enough, just a dribble of a yellow-tinted liquid heralded by a light squeak from Bernie, falling straight down and hardly making a sound on the grass. But once part of a dam breaks, the rest crumbles in short time. Within seconds, her pee picked up into a powerful, chaotic spray that flew forward before splattering upon the ground. Despite the force and volume, several drops still scattered about in every other direction, including those that ran down from the point of exit and onto her backside before gravity pulled them off. Such a spray created a cacophony of noises, such as the unmistakable sound of a powerful stream striking the earth, and the more vague but no less embarrassing hiss producing from Bernadetta herself.

It was the strongest, most desperate pee she had ever taken since arriving at Garegg Mach, rivaling some of her pees back home when father would finally relent on his “coaching”. Unfortunately, strong did not mean pleasant. Though her bladder was draining at long last, the pain still persisted, like hundreds of small pins were poking her groin from the inside. She winced and whimpered, accepting the punishment for holding it all for far longer than she ever should have.

But no matter the pain, Bernadetta’s worries were solely placed elsewhere. Never had she felt so exposed and vulnerable than she did when squatting to pee. She kept turning her head left and right, fearing the sight of any onlookers. All they would have to do is step around the bush and they would see everything… Well, maybe not that, since it was obscured by her skirt and closed legs, but there was no hiding the curve of her bare bottom, or the impressive, unyielding spray gushing forth.

She was alone for now, but it proved very little comfort. Even if no one ever saw her, it would not mean her crime never happened. This was a hallowed monastery, perhaps the place that was closest to the gods in all of Fódlan, and she was pissing on its grounds like a faithless delinquent. Her heart pounded in her chest as she kept committing this sacrilegious act. She was all but certain that Seiros herself would come down from the heavens to smite Bernie, damning her soul to the hell reserved for only the most fiendish individuals.

But as she would soon discover, realistic fears were more frightening than that of divine retribution.

“Dorothea?”

A male voice and the sound of approaching footsteps startled her when she thought she couldn’t be startled any further.

“Oh, P-professor Byleth! Did you need something?” Dorothea quickly replied, sounding just as nervous as Bernie felt, if such a thing was possible.

Meanwhile, Bernadetta herself had even more reason to panic. Her new professor was now mere feet away from her as she brazenly peed on academy grounds. All it would take was one look from him and she would be finished. Expelled. Sent back home to a miserable existence.

She had to get away before she was caught, or passed out from panic, whichever came first. She tried to clench her groin muscles to stop the flow, but it wasn't happening. There was no strength left to even slow her stream down, and thus she kept peeing at full force. She knew she wouldn't be stopping anytime soon, either. Her large bladder was proving itself as both a blessing and a curse. All she could do was pray that Dorothea could keep him none the wiser.

The conversation continued in the meantime. "I was just wondering if you had seen Bernadetta anywhere. I was hoping to talk with her after class," said Byleth.

_ He wants to see me!? _ Bernie just managed to suppress a gasp. _ Oh no, what did I do? Please don't sell me out, Dorothea! I don't wanna get twice the punishment! _

"Er, no, can't say I have," came Dorothea's reply. "She probably just went back to her room. It takes a lot out of her to go to class and drills, after all."

"That's odd. I could have sworn I saw her heading away from the living quarters." Bernie imagined Byleth putting a hand to his chin. "Oh well, I just wanted to apologize to her, but I suppose it can wait until after lunch."

_ Huh? Apologize? _Through the whirlwind of anxiety in her mind, Bernie could only feel confused. The professor wanting to apologize to her? She almost wished he would stick around to explain.

"Really? Why is that?" It seemed Dorothea shared her curiosity. “Not that I mean to pry, of course! Just… curious, that’s all,” she quickly added.

“Well, I realized that I shouldn’t have put her on the spot like that, at least not on the first day with someone she doesn’t know.” Byleth paused to sigh. “I forgot about her shyness issues, and I’m hoping she can forgive me for being so demanding so quickly.”

“Hmm, I see what you mean. I don’t know all that much about Bernie’s life before the monastery, but it couldn’t have been easy on her. I’m sure if you give her enough time, she’ll warm up to you. Maybe a little quicker if you have a slice or two of cake with you.” She punctuated with a giggle.

“Cake? I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

_ Professor… Dorothea… _ Bernadetta felt her ears burning and face growing redder. People having genuine concern for her… well, maybe they were both putting on a front for different reasons. Still, there was a sincerity in Byleth’s voice that made her want to believe in him, that perhaps he really did have her best interests at heart. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad with a new professor after all...

“Ah!?” Bernie sharply exhaled. Before she could go too far down that train of thought, a new sensation pulled her attention back to her peeing predicament. The pain in her bladder was quickly subsiding, and something else was now radiating from it: pleasure. Pure relief came over her like a gentle tide washing away the sand as she continued to “wash” the dirt beneath her. Her muscles relaxed, releasing a whole morning’s worth of pent-up stress, and she was suddenly overcome with a strong urge to moan and express her gratitude for finally getting to pee.

But she definitely couldn’t do that right here, or she could kiss what little dignity she had goodbye. Thinking quickly, Bernadetta clasped a hand over her mouth and nose, pursing her lips as tight as possible to suppress it. Instead, her relief came out in one long, dramatic exhale through her nose. She prayed to the goddess that this would be enough to keep her potty time a private one.

“Something wrong, professor?”

“Hmm… did you hear something just now?”

It was not. Bernadetta’s eyes bugged out, the panic quickly returning to her as the chance of being caught was very real again.

“Er, l-like what?” asked Dorothea.

“I’m not certain, but it’s almost like the sound of running water. I don’t see any gardeners around here, either.”

“Oh, that? Um, well…" Bernie couldn't see, but imagined Dorothea's eyes shifting back and forth.

Oh no, here it comes! Bernadetta tried once more to clench down and stop the flow, but her bladder wasn't stopping until it was fully emptied. Stuck like an animal in a trap, she was all but certain the professor would follow the clues and find her now.

"Ah, nevermind," Byleth suddenly interjected. "I just remembered I have somewhere else to be. Students to speak with, papers to look at, things like that."

"Oh, well okay then," said Dorothea, perfectly mirroring Bernie's thoughts again. "It's been nice talking, professor."

“Likewise. See you another time, Dorothea.”

Bernadetta heard the professor’s footsteps moving away, and rather quickly at that. She had to wonder if possibly… no, he couldn’t have! Teachers were busy people, surely he was speaking the truth. At least, she really hoped that was the case. She wouldn’t be looking him in the eye for the next few days just to be safe.

But whatever the reason, Byleth was gone and the danger had passed. Bernadetta took this opportunity to sigh and let out all the pent-up stress from that encounter, her hand falling from her mouth. How she wanted nothing more than for this day to be over, or at least for this pee to finish.

Looking back down, she was happy to see her stream had weakened quite a bit, no longer a noisy and powerful spray but a quiet little dribble instead. She watched as it only dwindled from there, until it was nothing more than a few stray drops falling from her damp crotch. The most embarrassing pee of her life was finally over, and she couldn’t wait to get out of there.

Reaching behind her, Bernadetta plucked a few leaves from the bush and quickly went to wiping as best as she could. It was rough and took a few leaves, but she eventually got it clean enough to be acceptable until her next trip to the sauna - late at night so no one would possibly peep on her, of course.

Now that she was clean, getting modest was her next step. Bernadetta made sure to start pulling her shorts and panties before she stood back up. This way, she was guaranteed to have everything covered up when she could be seen. Unfortunately, nothing could be done about the gross sensation of cold, damp clothing being pressed into her sensitive places again. She cringed from the feeling, making her wonder why she bothered to wipe in the first place if it was going to get dirty again.

Lastly, before she departed the bush for good, Bernie glanced at the massive puddle she had created, proof that she had reached her great limits. She whimpered at the thought of someone stumbling upon this even when she was long gone, or if all this urine would kill the surrounding grass, leaving a reminder of her shameful act.

She wasn’t sticking around to find out. Patting her skirt down, Bernadetta exited the bushes with her head held low, getting a good look at Dorothea’s boots as they turned to face her.

“How did it go, Bernie?” she asked in a gentle voice. “Do you feel better now?”

“I want to go to my room,” whimpered Bernie in response.

“That’s fair enough.” Dorothea shrugged. “Can I at least walk you there? You can follow behind me if you’d like.”

Bernadetta wanted to say no, but she had no idea what she would do if someone approached her to talk after doing something so heinous. That, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she could find the way back on her own in such a delicate state. Begrudgingly, she nodded her head, and they departed from the scene of the crime right after.

* * *

At long last, the two reached the doors to Bernadetta’s quarters. The safe solitude of her walls was within reach once more, and she couldn’t be more eager to go inside and lock herself away until the end of days. She stepped to her door and reached for the knob to do just that.

“Wait, Bernie?” Dorothea’s voice brought her to a halt. “Can we talk for just a minute? You can go back inside when we’re done, I promise!”

_ Oh, why can’t everyone leave me alone? _ Against her better judgment, Bernie lowered her hand and faced Dorothea. "Um, okay?" She nervously asked.

"It's nothing serious, I just needed to get a couple things off my chest first." Dorothea rubbed the back of her head. "I'm sure you heard that whole talk with the professor while you were… you know."

"Y-yeah, I did." Bernadetta pouted. "Why didn't you just shoo him away or something? I thought my heart was going to explode for sure!"

"Er, I was worried he would get suspicious if I tried to just push him away. Sometimes, the best way to hide something is to act natural, after all."

"I… guess so," relented Bernie. Not that she would anything about acting natural.

"But anyway, those things I told the professor about us wanting to help you? That's all true. We really do care for you, Bernie." She lifted a hand with her palm facing up. "You know that cake Edelgard gave you this morning?"

Bernadetta shook her head. "Edelgard only did that just to get me to come to class. She talked about looking out for me, but I don't know."

"Actually, the cake was my idea."

"Huh?" She looked right into Dorothea's eyes. "Y-your idea?"

Dorothea nodded. "It's true. Edie's not the kind of leader to normally do bribes. I suggested to her that it's easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar."

Bernadetta's mouth opened aghast. "Did… you just call me a fly!?"

"Oh, maybe not the best metaphor I could've used," said Dorothea, putting a hand to an embarrassed cheek.

"Wait a minute!" Bernadetta put her hands to her chest. As tired as her mind was, it went right to work putting all the pieces together. "Talking about catching a fly… you giving me cake… me having to pee so badly, and you showing up to take me right to those bushes… Ah!" Her eyes suddenly went wide as saucers.

"Bernie?" asked Dorothea, arching an eyebrow.

She threw her arms down in a dramatic fashion. "You're blackmailing me!"

"B-blackmail!?"

"I knew it! You were just buddying up to me so you could get some good dirt on me. Now I'll have to pay a fortune to keep this from getting out. Oh, I'll never get to afford sweets again!" she whined.

"Bernie…" Dorothea put a hand to her face, her eyes betraying the hurt in her heart from being accused as such. "I would never do something so horrible!"

Bernie shook her head. “Wouldn’t you? I haven’t known anyone here that long. Who’s to say what they will and won’t do?”

Dorothea lowered her head. “True. I just wish there was some way I could show you that I don’t want to hurt you… Oh?”

Suddenly, Dorothea’s eyes lit up and she looked back to Bernie. _ Oh no, what is she plotting now? _

“Would it help if you knew a little more about me? Say, something embarrassing that I haven’t told anyone else, to make us more equal?”

“S-something embarrassing?” _ Could anything be more humiliating than what I just went through? _Despite her doubts, Bernie couldn’t bring herself to say no.

“Right.” Dorothea looked around to make sure no one else was in ear shot. “I don’t know if you already know this, but before the academy and the opera company, I was just an orphan growing up on the city streets. I had no home, no bed, no bath, and certainly nowhere to, er, relieve myself in.”

“No bathroom? But how did you take care of that?”

Dorothea rested a cheek into her hand and glanced away. “Well, sometimes I would get lucky and find a place with a public chamber pot. Unfortunately, most of the time I would have to find somewhere I could hide and… you know. There was one time where I was nowhere near a place like that, and I couldn’t hold it anymore, so I ran into an alley and let nature run its course, right on the cobblestone.”

“Oh.” Bernadetta lowered her head. So she had to do stuff like this, too…

“I wish I could say that was the worst of that particular call,” continued Dorothea, “but I wasn’t even finished going when the owner of the building stepped out and caught me. He was… not happy, to say the least. In hindsight, I think he may have had a bit too much wine and couldn’t control his anger.”

That reminds me too much of someone I know. “What happened? What did he do?”

“He yelled. A lot. I don’t remember all of it, but I had a bad feeling if I stuck around, he would have done a lot more than that.” It was Dorothea’s turn to lower her head, her voice becoming more delicate and tinged with the pain of the past. “The worst part was, I couldn’t stop going, even as I was getting up and running away. By the time I was sure he wasn’t chasing after me, my legs and undergarments were soaked, and I reeked of urine. If I’m completely honest, it was one of the lowest points in my life.”

“D-Dorothea…” Maybe it was the fragile tone or her downtrodden face, but Bernadetta found herself wanting to believe her friend’s story. She could easily put herself into Dorothea’s shoes, if the poor girl even had any at that time in her life. Desperately trying to relieve herself when a dangerous man approached her, yanking her ratty undergarments back up and running for her life, pee streaming down her legs as she ran, leaving a trail along the ground… maybe she wasn’t the only student who had a tough life growing up.

But Dorothea continued. “When I saw your plight, Bernie, it reminded me of those moments in my life. I wouldn’t wish for anyone to have to go through what I did, so that’s why I knew I had to help you.”

Just like that, the paranoia and distrust within Bernie gave way to guilt and regret. She lowered her head and grabbed a wrist from behind her back. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” she mumbled.

“It’s alright,” said Dorothea. “It’s nothing but a bad memory now. I’ve had plenty of time and good experiences to help forget about it.”

“No, not that!” Bernadetta lifted her red-faced head. “I meant about me a-accusing you of blackmail. You should have every right to hate me now. I’m such an idiot, spitting in the face of someone trying to be nice to me!” She could feel her eyes growing moist from tears building up, ready to fall at a moment’s notice.

But then Dorothea reached out and gently grabbed Bernie’s hands and offered her a smile. “Apology accepted. I can’t stay mad at someone who’s been trying their best all day.”

“Dorothea…” Somehow, in the hands of another person, Bernadetta could feel her fears and anxieties quieting down along with something stirring in her heart. Was this what friendship felt like? To have someone to lean on, no matter how chaotic the world is or what mistakes you’ve made… it seemed like something she would only experience from reading fairy tales, but it was happening to her here and now. It was… It was...

“Nngh…” These feelings proved a little too much, and Bernie was overcome with a sense of vertigo, stumbling a little in Dorothea’s hands.

“Bernie? What’s wrong?” asked Dorothea.

Bernie shook her head, the faint spell quickly passing. “Mmm, I’m really tired. I just want to lie down now.”

“That’s fair.” Dorothea nodded. “You’ve had a long day, I’m sure a good nap is in order. How about you do that and I’ll check on you again in a while? I can even bring some food from the dining hall.”

It was too good of an offer to resist. “Th-thank you,” she said with all the sincerity she could muster. “Um, can I get something sweet please?”

“Of course.” Dorothea let go of her hands. “I’ll be going now. Have a good rest, Bernie!”

“R-right.” With that, Bernie watched Dorothea turn and leave. Once she was out of her personal bubble, Bernie quickly turned around and stepped into her room, its cool walls and stale air welcoming her like the coziest of blankets. 

Once the door was closed and locked behind her, Bernadetta released another stress-filled sigh, happy to be in her element again. Of course, before she could fully relax, she needed to change out of her clothes. She went straight to work on that, removing every bit of clothing from the waist down and getting a similar but dry pair of underwear. She only paused to hold her dirty pair up to the light and examine the damage, whining a little at what she saw. It wasn't a complete soaking, with only a faint wet patch right at the crotch, but it would take a good, long scrubbing before she could wear them again. That, or they’d just be tossed into a fire somewhere. She hadn't decided on that yet.

That could come later, when she wasn't absolutely exhausted. Still barefoot but in her clean clothes, Bernadetta grabbed her stuffed bear along with some of her emergency sweets, and collapsed onto her bed. Nuzzling the bear's fuzzy head, she wanted nothing more than to stay here forever, free from the dangers of the outside world.

But deep down, she knew she couldn't do that. She would be pulled out of her room sooner or later, whether that be from a person or her next bathroom visit. If the world wouldn’t leave her alone, all she could do was be better, be braver, learn to face her fears and overcome the shell she had been forced into. It would be far easier said than done, but with a professor and some friends who genuinely cared for her, then maybe, just maybe she could make it work.

And if not, well, at least she would probably get some more heavenly cake just for trying.

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to Sake for editing, and Biku for the commissioned artwork.


End file.
